The party continues at the Art Center of Estes Park

Compiled by Juley Harvey Trail-Gazette

Posted:
01/03/2013 07:13:14 AM MST

St. Malo by Keith Clements
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Courtesy photo
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Small Treasures by Jenifer Cline
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Courtesy photo
)

You can still party arty, even though the New Year is no longer the reason. The Art Center of Estes Park proudly presents a reception for its new artists on Jan. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the art center gallery. The free artists' party is sponsored by the Fred Wojcik Memorial Fund and the public is invited. The first show of every year, the Art Center features the artist members who joined the Art Center the previous year. This year, the center celebrates eight fabulous Colorado artists, their art and their diversity, from Jan. 11 through Feb. 17.

The Art Center represents artists from Estes Park and the surrounding communities. They produce a wide variety of original art in various media. A purchase from the Art Center will be a Colorado-made reminder of your visit to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park for many years.

The Art Center of Estes Park represents local and regional artists from the Rocky Mountain area.

The artists invite you to come and view their work and to shop for additions to your home or business collections. One of the reasons the Art Center was established in 1987 was that local artists were not encouraged to exhibit their artwork in any of the local galleries.

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As a group, they started seeking out ways to show their work. They exhibited wherever they could, usually for a weekend or a month in places like the Stanley Village and at The Stanley Hotel. They realized that what they really wanted was a facility where they could display and sell their work on a long-term basis.

Following an exhibit during Women's History Month, which was sponsored by the Estes Park Area Museum, Chris Switzer and Lynda Vogel picked up the momentum to form the Art Center of Estes Park. At that time, Chris Switzer had a studio in the space where the Art Center Sun Room is now located. The idea came about to talk to Dan Wheelers, the owner of Stanley Village, to see if the adjoining unrented space was available. He was a supporter of the arts and agreed to lease the space that is now the classroom and front gallery; thus, the Art Center became a reality. He is still considered the "Angel of the Art Center." Chris Switzer took the risk and responsibility and signed all of the financial papers needed to start the Art Center. The doors were opened on Memorial Day weekend 1987. Chris Switzer was the director; Lynda Vogel was hired as the gallery and events coordinator. A couple of months later, a board was formed. Leo Weber was the Art Center's first board president. In September 1987, the Art Center became a non-profit organization. The mission: to promote visual art and artists in the Estes Park area by providing a facility, support and exhibition opportunities; present opportunities for education in the visual arts; and act as an advocate and partner in the community for development of the visual arts.

Twenty years later, the wording of the mission has changed some, but the commitment to provide a facility and support for our local and regional artists has never changed. Over the years, the Art Center has had approximately 175 participating artist members (artwork was juried to be a member). Many of their founding artists have made art their life- long profession. More than 300 other artists and art groups were also invited to show their work at the Art Center for 3-6 weeks at a time.

Come by the Art Center of Estes Park at 517 Big Thompson Ave. and join the artists' party.

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